Astral Health

The Japanese word for the stone basin is chozubachi. Its raison d’etre is to offer the visitor to the garden a refreshing drink of water. The basin that catches the water is usually carved right into the stone and ideally the visitor would be drinking rain water. Traditonally a bamboo ladle may be supplied as a spoon to dish the water from the basin. Often because of pollution, this water is not drunk. The water is simply touched to the lips or forehead to symbolize purification.

  

Not all stone basins are used to refresh a thirsty visitor. Some ornamental basins are simply containers of water that are used to display water lilies or fish. Large stones carved in the shape of lucky animals such as a tortoise, crane, frog, fish or turtle can also serve as a statutory centerpiece for this kind of ceremonial garden pool.